


Class Assignment

by Scribbling Mama (melgibson87)



Series: AU August 2018 [15]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: AU August, AU Yeah AUgust (Miraculous Ladybug), Adrinette, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Class Assignment, F/M, LadyNoir - Freeform, Life Swap, Lucky Adrien Agreste, Marichat, Marinette Dupain-Cheng Has a Crush on Adrien Agreste, Marinette and Adrien switch lives, POV Adrien Agreste, POV Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Poor Marinette Dupain-Cheng, ladrien, life swap au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-16
Updated: 2018-09-11
Packaged: 2019-06-28 02:05:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,580
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15697917
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/melgibson87/pseuds/Scribbling%20Mama
Summary: Mme Bustier is tired and wants to build character in her students, especially her star bullies, Chloe and Sabrina. Devising an assignment to guide her students to become better people, she has them draw names and switch lives for a week. Her class will become better and grow as a unit or she's failed as their educator in more ways than she cares to count.Adrien is more than nervous about this assignment, knowing his home life was about to be exposed to the unlucky person who chooses his name. He's also worried about the home he'll be entering for a week since he's not close with all of his classmates, having met them only a few weeks back at the school year's start. When he draws Marinette's name, he's more than surprised yet pleased, knowing how warm Tom and Sabine are. However, his delight is soon overshadowed when he learns she's going to be living with his father for a week, having drawn his name from the hat.He doesn't know what the future will hold and prays that she'll want to remain friends with him after the assignment is over. He can only hope his father will behave during the following week.





	1. A New Class Lesson

**Author's Note:**

> Day 15 of AU Yeah August with the prompt being a life swap. I couldn't help but go with the love square here. I think this will be the perfect lead-in story for The Making of Adrinette, too, showing the beginning of Marinette's confidence around Adrien. This will be a break from canon in terms of this, but I'm still going to stick as close to it otherwise as I can (like I've tried to do in the main story as well).

The classroom had grown into a battleground lately as several students tried to stand up against Chloe's nasty bullying. Hurtful words and even more dangerous actions had begun between the students. Despite Marinette's best efforts as the class's president and the help of Mme Bustier, nothing had ceased the rising escalations of pranks, name-calling, and even a few aggressive actions from both male and female students. 

At her wit's end, Mme Bustier confronted the class one day near the end of the fall term, her voice resigned yet firm as she spoke. "That's enough, everyone. I'm tired of this. I have an assignment that will hopefully help in you all gaining some perspective. The lack of empathy and sympathy I've witnessed these past few weeks is disheartening."

Murmurs began as students speculated at this sudden turn in their teacher's personality. 

She gave them a warning glance, waiting until they silenced once more before continuing, "Each of your names has been placed in this hat." She paused to show them the tophat. "Each of you will draw a name. There will be no switches allowed. Who you pick is who you'll be swapping lives with for the next week."

Stunned silence greeted her for a full minute before protests broke out, growing louder as several voiced their disapproval of this assignment.

Slamming a book on her desk hard, she caught their attention once again, surprised by her violent reaction. With a tired smile, she explained the assignment. "Each of you will experience what the other person's home life, their schedules, and everything that makes that person special. You'll write a five-page essay on what you've learned, and you will turn it in next Friday. Is that understood?"

"Daddy will never approve of this," Chloe huffed, her arms crossed and her ponytail swaying in her irritated state. "It's utterly ridiculous. I demand a different assignment."

"I've already cleared this with everyone's parents. You will be doing this assignment or risk failing my class, Mlle Bourgeois." Mme Bustier met Chloe's stare for several moments, a triumphant smile fighting to break free when their secret battle ended in her favor.

A hand from the front row caught her attention, turning to meet the worried look on Adrien's face.

She cringed slightly as his father had been absolutely against the assignment, demanding his son be excused from it. She'd told M. Agreste exactly what she thought, warning she'd flunk his son if Adrien didn't participate. She'd hoped he wouldn't call her bluff, knowing she'd never punish the younger man for his father's obstinant behavior. She'd sighed in relief when the man had sighed and gave into her command. She didn't plan on taking the victory lightly, not when the stakes for Adrien proved too high if her suspicions were correct about his home life.

"Yes, Adrien?"

"You got everyone's parents' permission? Even my father's?" His hand had gone to the back of his neck, rubbing nervously.

She softened toward the young man, smiling as she nodded. "Yes, every parent has agreed, even your father."

She could see the nervousness still present, wondering what exactly was going on in his home. She could only hope whoever got his father could shed some light on the situation. She had every intention of helping Adrien as much as instilling some sympathy and empathy in her students. She'd grown too weary of their recent behavior, spurred by the nastiness that was Chloe's attitude.

Her gaze drifted back to the blonde and her haughty outlook towards her classmates. She hoped this assignment might open Chloe's eyes some as well. 

Chloe and Adrien were probably her wealthiest students, but they were clearly the unhappiest compared to their other classmates. She wanted them to see what could be found elsewhere, knowing she could also potentially causing more harm with this plan. However, she'd set her course and she wasn't about to back down now, not when she'd convinced Adrien's father to do this experiment.

"All right, everyone, I'll come around now, so you can pick someone's name."

 

00000

 

Adrien tried not to worry as Mme Bustier began with him and Nino, pulling out the little slips of paper. He couldn't even open the one he held for fear he'd gotten someone he barely knew in his class. He'd had the privilege of hanging out with several of his classmates since he'd started school earlier that year but certainly not all. Some of those interactions had been more when that particular classmate had been akumatized. 

"Bro, look, I got Juleka. I hear her brother, Luka, is pretty cool and likes music. This should be a fun week, you know," Nino whispered, nudging Adrien with his elbow. 

Doing his best, he gulped as he nodded. "Yeah, it sure does. Let me know how it goes."

Nino nodded, turning to watch Mme Bustier work her way toward Alya and Marinette. 

Adrien didn't have the heart to open that piece of paper, his fingers twisting the ring on his right hand. He could feel Plagg in his shirt as the small kwami tried to comfort him. A small smile appeared at the usually stoic kwami's attempts, the gesture helping more than Adrien would ever admit to Plagg. 

He took an extra second to bolster his nerve before he grabbed up the little slip and unfolded it, staring at the name he read. He couldn't quite believe he'd gotten it. He had to be dreaming, right? How was this possibly going to work for either of them?

Flipping over the paper to check for any other names, he came back to the one written in Mme Bustier's cursive writing. 

Marinette Dupain-Cheng.

How did he get so lucky?

Swiveling towards her, he saw the sadness in her eyes as she read the slip of paper she held. His excitement fading rapidly as he continued to watch her, wondering which of their classmates could garner such a reaction. 

As one person came to mind, he whispered, "Marinette, did you get Chloe? Sabrina? I'm so sorry. I can see if Mme Bustier will let you change. Surely, she'll understand why you need to change."

The sadness remained despite the smile she gave him. Shaking her head, she whispered back, "I didn't get either one of them."

Confusion filled him as no other classmate had caused her many problems. Well, he'd done a little damage in the beginning, but they'd worked that out well enough, hadn't they?

"Then, who did you get?"

Her smile wavered only a moment before she said, "I got you."

He knew then how he'd gotten so lucky. His bad luck had rubbed off on her.

He didn't know how to make it better, either.

"I'm so sorry, Marinette," he whispered, turning in his seat and dropping his head to the desk. He really was sorry, knowing she'd learn the truth about her idol and about him. He'd lose her friendship for sure with this new development.


	2. Marinette's Reaction

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're going to start really getting into the assignment after this chapter. 
> 
> As I promised a few here, this is the breakdown of the students and their new homes for the week:  
> Adrien = Marinette  
> Marinette = Adrien  
> Nino = Juleka  
> Alya = Mylene  
> Chloe = Alya  
> Sabrina = Rose  
> Alix = Chloe  
> Kim = Ivan  
> Max = Nathaniel  
> Juleka = Alix  
> Rose = Max  
> Nathaniel = Kim  
> Ivan = Nino  
> Mylene = Sabrina
> 
> I'm not going to touch on all of these since this story is focused on Adrien and Marinette mostly, but I might make mention of a few, especially Chloe, Nino, and Alya since they're stronger secondary characters. We'll see how it goes for the rest. 
> 
> Until next time, please enjoy this chapter where we get to see Marinette's reaction(s) to this assignment and gaining Adrien's home as her placement for the week.

 

A number of emotions rolled through her as she fought panic at the thought of choosing Chloe or even Sabrina. She hadn't the least bit desire of being put into the shoes of her greatest bully and rival. She could only hope that maybe she'd get one of her friends. Alya would be best since they've already spent several nights at each other's homes. Something about living in a guy's space didn't appeal to her though she couldn't help the curiosity sparking as she considered what Adrien's room would be like for a week. 

Sure, she'd been inside his room once or twice, but only as Ladybug and never long enough to really gain a familiarity of the room that left a lasting impression. Well, she could say one thing about it. It was huge. She could probably fit most of her family's home in his room, which sounded insane even to her. She hadn't a clue anyone could need so much space, but then, she'd learned to make due in her room a long time ago. 

As she caught the excitement coming from Alya and Nino at their choices, she dared a peek at Adrien to see how he felt. Sadness had crept over her as she caught the nervous gesture when he'd asked about his father's approval of this assignment. Something felt off about that reaction, growing as she caught his hunched shoulders and quiet sigh as he unfolded the paper slip in his hand. 

Taking the initiative, she opened her paper at the same time, reading his name and rereading it as the information took a moment to register in her mind. When she looked up and caught him staring at her, she caught that same incredulous look in his eyes, almost as if he couldn't believe what he read. She tried to offer him a smile, but she couldn't be sure it came across that well as her nerves around him remained quite high.

 _How was she ever going to get over this? She needed to get a grip. He's just a guy that's super sweet and handsome but still a guy, right? He's her friend. She needs to act like one for once,_ she silently admonished herself, working to build up her confidence around him.

"It can't be that bad, right?" he asked.

No, it wasn't that bad yet it seemed like it should with his earlier reaction. She still couldn't put her finger on why his reticence bothered her so much. Surely, his father wasn't as bad as she heard Nino talk about the man. She'd met him a few times, again as Ladybug, but he seemed like a concerned parent. Something wasn't adding up, and she was determined to find out what it was.

She ignored the loud screaming that Chloe began at learning she'd be moving into Alya's for the week. She even fought a smile at the thought of Chloe having Alya's rambunctious sisters clinging to her and begging her for bedtime stories as they did their older sister.

However, Adrien never stopped staring as he waited for her answer.

She applauded herself as she finally managed to say, "I got you."

If her smile faltered, then it had more to do with the nerves bouncing around her stomach at having his avid attention and her silent chant to keep their conversation going without rambling or stuttering. That would be the greatest obstacle, or it would've been if he hadn't interrupted her thoughts, bringing them to an abrupt halt.

"I'm so, so sorry," he whispered and proceeded to turn around, away from her and drop his head to his desk. 

Confusion burst through her mind, keeping her from reaching out and asking him what was wrong though she sought Alya's and Nino's help in deciphering this new mood of his. She couldn't imagine why he'd be sorry about her gaining a glimpse into his life or learning more about her fashion idol. Surely, it was a dream come true for her. She'd finally get the chance to impress Gabriel Agreste and learn more about the boy who'd captured her heart with his sweet apology on the second day of school. 

Before she could try and ask him about it, Mme Bustier began outlining more of the assignment they'd be embarking on, including some ground rules about respecting the other person's belongings while living in their space for the next week. 

Renewed panic filled her as she realized Adrien would be in her room for the next week. The same room she had plastered with his pictures on the pink walls. That panic threatened to overwhelm her until she heard Mme Bustier assure everyone that they had until the next day to make the switch complete.

She had time to clean up her room and hide the evidence of her insane crush from him, too embarrassed for him to ever discover she liked him that much. 

The rest of the day passed in a blur as she worked through all she needed to do before turning her room over to Adrien for the week. She almost groaned as she considered where she could hide the evidence of her crush where he wouldn't find it should he gain some curiosity while in her room despite the rules.

The final bell couldn't ring fast enough for her.

She had her few school belongings packed, prepared to dash for the door and her home as soon as that infernal bell sounded. She counted down the seconds until the top of the hour, the bell's steady chime music to her ears.

She raced from the room and almost made it to the stairs outside when a voice behind her slowed her progress. 

"Hey, Marinette, wait," Adrien called out, his hand raised above the crowd so she could find him.

Sighing, she came to a halt and waited for him to catch up, his eyes still a bit hesitant as they met hers. 

"Wh-what's up?" 

His hand fidgeted with his ring as he took a moment before blurting out, "Would you like to come by with some of your stuff after dinner? I'll be done with my lessons by then. I can show you around my room and tell you what you'll need to know for the next week."

"Huh?" She heard him talking but the words didn't seem to be registering as she fought the fog that came over her. That same fog that happened to cloud her brain every time he talked to her, keeping her from sounding like her normal self whenever he was nearby. She had to get a better grasp on that if she wanted to impress Gabriel with her fashion sense and even Adrien if she wanted a chance to be something more than a friend.

"The assignment?" He shifted his bag as he glanced toward the curb before meeting her gaze again. "I mean, I can always stop by your place tonight if you'd rather first. It's up to you, Marinette."

Shaking her head and clearing the fog, she remembered the state of her room and fought back the panic threatening to rise again. "No! No, your place is fine. After dinner. Got it. I'll be you there see. I'll, uh, see you there."

She slammed her palm into her forehead at the flub she made, thinking she'd been so smooth earlier with him. Well, she'd been taught otherwise, hadn't she?

He gave her a small smile, a tiny replica of the model smile she saw all too often on her posters at home. With a pat on her shoulder, he walked toward his waiting car, waving for a moment before he slid inside. 

"See you, Adrien," she whispered, waving as his car disappeared into traffic. 

She wished she could say this week would be a wonderful experience, but she was starting to have some doubts about that, having seen that model smile of his and grown to hate it in the small time they spent on the school's steps. She wondered if she'd get the chance to see a genuine smile from him, one that lit up his eyes as the one she'd seen during that impromptu photo shoot for Juleka a week ago. 

If anything, she'd grown more determined to make it happen, dashing across the street and cleaning up her room. After all, it wouldn't do for him to see his pictures on her wall. Not if she wanted a chance with him sometime in the future. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Update 6/10/19: This story will be completed and is on my list to finish. Right now, I'm working on a schedule to make this happen for all my WIPs. I will update everyone in the near future the progress being made for this story and other WIPs here on AO3.

**Author's Note:**

> Find me on [Tumblr](http://scribblingmama.tumblr.com)


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